How and when is a poker player determined to be a professional?

[hjuosh]

I see many players mentioned or autoproclaimed as a Profesionals. So. How or when a poker player could have the category of a "Profesional Poker Player"? :deal:

 

[pocketace222]

When your winning enough to play full time, have a nice bankroll that you never have to take from to pay bills. Your results will have alot to do in this matter as you could be rich and just play poker think your a professional.

I see many players mentioned or autoproclaimed as a Profesionals. So. How or when a poker player could have the category of a "Profesional Poker Player"? :deal:

 

[hjuosh]

The things that you mention could be an ideal goals. I know about a few players on that conditions. But I'm not very sure if they could be named Profesionals.

When your winning enough to play full time, have a nice bankroll that you never have to take from to pay bills. Your results will have alot to do in this matter as you could be rich and just play poker think your a professional.

 

[pocketace222]

Right there probably not, but when you started winning enough and playing poker and not working to me that's professional. You don't need to be playing on TV or traveling the world. You could play local cash games 50 60 hours a week and travel 4 or 5 times a year to play in tournaments inside your country and make a lot of money without any recognition

The things that you mention could be an ideal goals. I know about a few players on that conditions. But I'm not very sure if they could be named Profesionals.

 

[hjuosh]

I understand your point... A player who spend 100% of the time being a poker player and getting the money and life style just from the game. But to be named Profesional have to have credentials or demostrate studies or something like in other professions.?

Right there probably not, but when you started winning enough and playing poker and not working to me that's professional. You don't need to be playing on TV or traveling the world. You could play local cash games 50 60 hours a week and travel 4 or 5 times a year to play in tournaments inside your country and make a lot of money without any recognition

 

[Alex70793]

It's simple, a professional poker player is a person who makes a living playing poker, that is, poker is his profession, so he is a professional.

 

[MishkaZL]

I think a professional player is first and foremost a player for whom poker is a profession that regularly brings him a basic income. In addition, professional players have professional achievements, such as winning popular live or online tournaments.

 

[freedom4L]

If you can pay your bills and live your life only with your poker income consistently

 

[hobojim1247]

I asked this question when I first started poker and found many different definitions by many different people. So came with my own definition. There are two catagories of professional. 1). Those who play poker because they are skillful and can make a decent living at it. 2). Those who play because they don't want to work a regular job.

Jim

 

[SopianaeExtra]

When it becomes your job and you have to rely on being successful at it ...

 

[hilary antonik filho]

I'm not a professional, I play as a hobby, fun, entertainment and because I like it, from the moment I start to live off poker earning money, it's not more Hobby and yes profession

 

[mssmotilda]

It's simple, a professional poker player is a person who makes a living playing poker, that is, poker is his profession, so he is a professional.

I was hoping to see some original answer in this thread, but everything is obvious here and there is simply nothing to add here!

 

[DiegoRamos]

I see many players mentioned or autoproclaimed as a Profesionals. So. How or when a poker player could have the category of a "Profesional Poker Player"? :deal:

Just like any other profession, when you live on it alone.

This one, regardless of the level, if he is a profitable player, and can make a living from poker, yes, he is a professional player.

But if your comparison is technical, then the correct term is skill level, not whether a player is professional, amateur or recreational.

 

[hjuosh]

Better understanding

Thanks everyone for the replies. I have a better understanding of what it makes a poker player a professional. 🤘

 

[hjuosh]

Yes it is. I think that... then difference is, a skill player is not always a Profesional player. Thanks for your reply. 🤘

Just like any other profession, when you live on it alone.

This one, regardless of the level, if he is a profitable player, and can make a living from poker, yes, he is a professional player.

But if your comparison is technical, then the correct term is skill level, not whether a player is professional, amateur or recreational.

 

[efranto2286]

I respect all opinions, I know a professional who is not very well known or famous but lives 100% of the money he generates from poker, he plays local tournaments and in neighboring countries... so I think it is being a professional poker player

 

[DiegoRamos]

Yes it is. I think that... then difference is, a skill player is not always a Profesional player. Thanks for your reply. 🤘

Exactly!

Profit and skill don't always go together, sometimes in the long term they can meet, just as a weak player can have an astronomical ROI in the short term or in a bad fild.

But I'm glad I could help.

 

[Hsac]

I see many players mentioned or autoproclaimed as a Profesionals. So. How or when a poker player could have the category of a "Profesional Poker Player"? :deal:

Once you live off nothing but profits from poker you are considered a professional. There are many negative millionaires in this category, meaning they are a million or more in the hole, often mostly borrowed but they still pay their debts and grind out a living with poker. There are poker players who are good self-promoters and make a living while playing with mostly OPM, other people's money. Only about 5% of poker players make enough to live off the game. Only about 1% of poker players are positive multi-millionaires derived from the game, and at one time or another most of them had been negative millionaires. Most of these statistics are derived from Ace on the River by Barry Greenberg, a legend now but who was once a negative millionaire himself.

 

[messats]

i would consider someone known to be a professional when they can make a living from poker, and able to play comfortably in tourneys and high stakes cash games

 

[black and]

In my opinion, a professional is someone who has completely devoted himself to poker and earns a living playing poker.

 

[hjuosh]

Very interesting info. I have more to investigate. 🤘

Once you live off nothing but profits from poker you are considered a professional. There are many negative millionaires in this category, meaning they are a million or more in the hole, often mostly borrowed but they still pay their debts and grind out a living with poker. There are poker players who are good self-promoters and make a living while playing with mostly OPM, other people's money. Only about 5% of poker players make enough to live off the game. Only about 1% of poker players are positive multi-millionaires derived from the game, and at one time or another most of them had been negative millionaires. Most of these statistics are derived from Ace on the River by Barry Greenberg, a legend now but who was once a negative millionaire himself.

 

[hjuosh]

It is quite discouraging to see those figures especially for those of us who pretend to have benefits from poker. I found Greenberg's book in pdf. I'm going to read it.

Once you live off nothing but profits from poker you are considered a professional. There are many negative millionaires in this category, meaning they are a million or more in the hole, often mostly borrowed but they still pay their debts and grind out a living with poker. There are poker players who are good self-promoters and make a living while playing with mostly OPM, other people's money. Only about 5% of poker players make enough to live off the game. Only about 1% of poker players are positive multi-millionaires derived from the game, and at one time or another most of them had been negative millionaires. Most of these statistics are derived from Ace on the River by Barry Greenberg, a legend now but who was once a negative millionaire himself.

 

[lyki67]

For me is professional poker player person who play live tournaments and had won money so he or she must not go to work 8 hours per day or more. This player travel in the world, go from one tournament to another and has no worries about the money in his life.